Yes, I’m being dramatic. It’s the meds for pain.
When there is a knock at the door, I look to it just as Ally pops her head in. When she sees me, she sighs deeply and quickly comes over to me. She wraps her arms around me, almost climbing in my lap as she squeezes me. “You left.”
“I really didn’t have a choice. They made me.”
She squeezes me even tighter. “I was so worried.”
I nuzzle my nose in her shoulder, taking in her scent and basking in her softness. “Funny, I was actually just worrying about you and Angie.”
She swallows hard as she pulls back, her knee on the bed between my legs. She rubs my jaw, and her mouth turns down. “They took Taco in. Angie is pressing charges, and he’s pressing charges against you.”
I make a face. “You hit him first, though. Why aren’t you catching charges?”
“It somehow didn’t come up, so I didn’t say anything,” she says, thankful. “I drove your car here, and Aiden stayed with Angie at the police station. Your phone is in the car.”
I take a deep breath as I look up at her. “Are you okay?”
She nods eagerly. “I’m fine. How are you?”
“My eye hurts.”
Tears gather in her eyes. “I’ve never seen you fight.”
“I basically kicked his ass,” I say more confidently than I feel, and she grins. “I know you’re impressed by my manly fighting skills—and now the patch.”
Her grin grows. “I’m in awe of you.”
Her words seem to mean more than she intended, but another knock sounds on the door, and the doctor comes in. Ally sits in the chair as I get examined. When the doctor clicks his tongue, I feel I might be fucked. “You have a small tear, real small, which is the best-case scenario. That can heal, no problem. You’ll just need to wear the patch for a week or two. Use the drops I prescribe, and don’t take off the patch.”
My shoulders fall. “Can I at least get a black one?”
He laughs, blowing his gray locks out of his eye. “Yeah, I can make that happen. Can’t have you walking around looking like a broke pirate.”
I point to him, grinning. “I thought the same thing!”
He pats my knee. “Follow up with this doctor tomorrow. I’ve sent over the referral for you, and he’ll see you again at the end of the week after the swelling goes down. Also, no more fights.”
I press my lips together. “Will do.”
“All right, let me get you discharged.”
He leaves the room, and Ally hops back up, wrapping her arms around my neck. I hug her tightly, and soon I feel her tears on my neck. “Ally, I’m fine.”
She sobs against me, and my heart breaks. She doesn’t cry often. “Why did you fight him? You know he wears that ring just for fighting.”
I pull back to look at her as I bring my brows together. “I didn’t know that. Would have been nice to know.”
She shrugs. “I thought you did, and he’s just such a dick. Now, you’re a pirate.”
I laugh. “At least I have both legs. And another thing, three pirate jokes a day is all I’m giving you.”
She chokes on a sob. “Wait. Three? I need at least ten.”
I scoff as I squeeze her hip. “Hey, you’re lucky you’re getting three. You’re the reason I’m a pirate, so hush.”
More tears fall as she takes in a deep breath. “You fought him for me?”
I chuckle. “Duh? Who else would I fight him for?”